East Bengal pick Khalid Jamil as chief coach in quest for maiden I-League title

East Bengal on Wednesday unveiled the I- League-winning Khalid Jamil as their head coach for the upcoming season even as uncertainty remained around the structure of India’s football calendar for 2017-18. A former India international who won the SAFF Cup in his debut season in 1997, Jamil had been at the helm of Mumbai FC for seven seasons but his moment of glory came when he guided Aizawl FC to their maiden I-League title in a path-breaking last season.

East Bengal, who are yet to win the coveted I-League, wasted little time in striking a deal for a rumoured salary of Rs 1.25 crore, making him the highest-paid coach in Indian football. “Honestly I did not want to leave Aizawl FC but Nituda (assistant secretary Debabrata Sarkar) convinced me and said you must join East Bengal,” Jamil told reporters in his first media interaction at the club.

“I won the I-League and I thought it’s time for me to take up the challenge to a next level. East Bengal are a bigger club and there will be pressure. I’m looking forward. The first target is to win my first match here and go step by step from there.”

The red-and-gold have already signed …read more